Sending a child to summer camp for the first time should be cause for excitement, but it can also be intimidating for both parents and children. Knowing the facts, choosing the right camp and going in with an open mind can make the experience worthwhile.
Summer camps give children the opportunity to create lasting memories and learn important values, such as independence, teamwork and confidence. One of the most valuable things a summer camp experience can give to a child is lifelong friendship.
“It’s a great place to be safe socially, where you won’t be judged or put into a clique,” says Sonny Adkins, executive director of Camp Shady Brook and the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region. “It’s a good place to explore and discover things about yourself that you didn’t know you could do or that you would like to try for the first time. It’s a great place for building leadership skills. It’s a great place to gain significant self-confidence and independence, and it’s a great place to be supported within a positive and safe environment.”
Camp Shady Brook offers a variety of activities, including swimming, boating, team sports, target sports, camping, arts, drama, an equestrian program, fly fishing and rock climbing. In addition to specific activities, summer camp experiences often instill long-term values that campers can take back to their home and school environments.
“When you get back out into your school, your friends, your family, those outside environments, your confidence in the way you feel about others, the knowledge that you gain from specific skilled activities and the increased potential for that camper to be, not only a better student, but a better contributor to society in general,” Adkins says. “So, to put it in simple words, it’s a very powerful experience that all kids should have an opportunity to try.”
It is important for parents to understand the high standards for safety that summer camps follow. For instance, camps run by the Boulder Parks and Recreation department are required, by the state of Colorado’s standards, to do background checks on all of their employees. These camps also take extra measures to be inclusive and diverse. They have staff members who are trained to work with children with disabilities, and integrate them into the activities and programs.
“I would say it’s totally normal for a parent to feel nervous about sending their child to camp,” says Boulder Parks and Recreation Program Coordinator Molly Langerak. “But, however, we also emphasize that giving your child the space to grow while acquiring new skills away from home is a critical step in a child’s development process.”
Adkins advises parents of first time campers to research and find a camp that best suits the specific interests of their child.
“My approach might be a little different,” Adkins says. “I’m less interested in filling my beds than I am in making sure the fit is the right one for that particular camper and they have a positive experience, because some kids just aren’t ready and that’s OK. And parents can help by explaining to their camper that there are many amazing, great, fun opportunities ahead.”
For older first time campers, being open-minded and having a positive attitude is the best way to ensure a positive camp experience, Langerak says. It is important to remember that the camp staff will work hard to integrate everyone into the program, and keep the campers busy with activities.
“A lot of the little kids are observing what the older kids are doing, how they act,” Langerak says. “So we really empower our older kids to be positive role models for our younger campers. And our camp staff will actually pull into that age group and have them help with activities they’re doing at camp.”
According to Adkins, it is common for campers to find their “home camp,” a camp they come back to each year that becomes a home away from home for them. Selecting the right camp for a child is the first step in finding a child’s home camp.
“I’ve been in it my whole life, so I’m a believer,” Adkins says. “And that’s the other thing, you know, most kids, and even a lot of staff, have their home camp and that’s an amazing theater for other people, but also, traditionally, a great way to increase the impact of that experience. But also, there are so many amazing programs around the country. I mean, I will sell you a different camp if mine’s not the right one because that’s the right thing to do for this kid.”
